Nationally known author to speak

An award-winning children’s author will be coming to Emporia in late October. The featured guest speaker will be Carmen Agra Deedy, known for her picture books and animated storytelling.

Deedy will be in town as part of the Michael Tilford Conference on Diversity and Multiculturalism, to be held October 21-22 in at the Emporia Arts Center and Emporia State University’s Memorial Union.

As an author, Deedy draws upon her love of humor, Cuban folklore and family to tell tales of dual heritage. Born in Havana, Cuba, Deedy came to the U.S. as a refugee in 1964 and grew up in Decatur, Georgia.

Her awarded works include a New York Times Bestseller called 14 Cows for America, about a small Kenyan village’s gift to the people of America in response to the attacks on September 11, 2001 and Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale. For Martina, Deedy received the Pura Belpré Award in 2008; this award is presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

On the morning of October 21, Deedy will talk about her childhood with fourth and fifth grade students at Riverside Elementary.

That evening she will present a talk geared toward adults about the importance of having children hear stories about their families and cultures. This speech will be at 7 p.m. at the Granada Theatre. A book signing will be held in conjunction with this event.

Emporia State University is a dynamic and progressive student-centered learning community that fosters student success through engagement in academic excellence, community and global involvement, and the pursuit of personal and professional fulfillment.